Vest Refashion with Applique

I picked up this vest at the thrift store recently.

There are several things about it that I really like:

1. Fits great!
2. Sturdy 100% cotton
3. Has interesting details like those grommets, snaps, pockets and collar.

There are a couple of things I don't like about it:

1. Those rhinestone palm trees on the lower back!
2. It's boring!

Um, No.

I decided to spice up this vest with a vintage remnant that was gifted to me by some vintage relatives (sorry, that was a weak joke at the expense of the relatives) who've spent time in Africa. This piece is too small to do much with, but the color and pattern are so pretty. Those flower and birds in blue and yellow look almost Scandinavian, but that interesting circular pattern is definitely African or even Aboriginal in design. For a vest that hints of safari, I think this will do nicely!

It is probable that you do not have vintage African fabric in your fabric stash. No worries! You can use any large print, like maybe Aunt Mabel's tablecloth with the giraffes? Haha. If the fabric you would like to use is too fragile you can purchase an iron on interface to give it support.

When doing applique you want to make sure that your fabric doesn't shift around. On this refashion both fabrics were sturdy enough to stay where placed when pinned (pins are your friends). When I was able to fold down the edge I did a straight stitch. When I was sewing a raw edge I chose a zigzag.  And to shake it up a little I made sure the front wasn't symmetrical, but if that's your thing, by all means . . .go for it!

I'm looking forward to wearing this with jeans or a denim skirt.

Stay cool and have fun,

The Elevated Bag Lady

Upcycled Men's Shirts, and an Auction Adventure

There is almost nothing more fun than an auction in the summer. I had a blast this last weekend attending one. The weather was just perfect for a June day in Wisconsin, and I ended up bringing home boxes and boxes of books which I am having fun sorting through. I wish I had completed this men's shirt upcycle before the auction so I could wear it there,  but it's done now!

I've combined three men's shirts in the same color family, along with an old T-shirt from my own closet. I did NOT cut up all of SW's shirts for this (!) but I was lucky enough to hit the thrift shop on a day when they had "fill a bag for $5". So I loaded up on men's shirts in various sizes with colors that pleased me. It was a terrific bargain. The back of this top is made from sleeves of the shirts, something I borrowed from a post on Pinterest. The front is a layered look which includes buttons and pieces from the shirts. There is a surprising amount of fabric in a men's shirt, especially the XXL ones, so there is plenty of fabric to use in other projects if I choose.

To make the top super fun I added a shirt pocket and this vintage clothing label which I picked up along with a box of others at an antique store about ten years ago. Rescuing them from obscurity, is how I think about it (although sitting in my supply bin for ten years did not bring them out of their exile very quickly, haha).

Suzy Perette was not a real person. This is a 1950's clothing label from a manufacturer that copied Parisian designs for cocktail dresses. I do not cut labels from vintage clothing, but since someone else did, I thought I'd use it. Now if anyone asks about Suzy Perette I can tell them all about it.

Here's one of the books I got at auction.

Guess I should start reading up on this. Haha.

Stay cool out there, and try shaking things up with an upcycled fashion of your own. It's fun and easy! --The Elevated Bag Lady